The Philosophy, Theory and Methods of J. L. Moreno: the Man Who Tried
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Downloaded by [New York University] at 01:46 15 August 2016 The Philosophy, Theory and Methods of J. L. Moreno J. L. Moreno, M.D., is recognized as the originator of sociometry and psychodrama, and was a prodigious creator of methods and theories of creativity, society, and human behavior. The methods and techniques he authored have been widely adopted; the theories and philosophy upon which the methods are founded have not, as they are frequently couched in language which is not easily understood. Moreno’s sociometry, his the- ory of society, is kept alive only by a handful of psychodramatists. Group psychotherapy and psychodrama are both widely practiced but often based on non-Morenean theory, probably because of the inaccessibility of Moreno’s work. This book outlines Moreno’s early years (his religious phase), the phi- losophy on which his methods are founded, and the theories upon which Downloaded by [New York University] at 01:46 15 August 2016 Moreno’s three major methods, psychodrama, sociometry, and group psy- chotherapy are based. The book provides a more systematic presentation of Moreno’s work and presents his philosophy and theory in a clearer, more understandable manner. John Nolte has a doctorate in clinical psychology from Washington Uni- versity, and was trained in psychodrama by J.L. and Zerka Moreno. He served as Director of Training for the Moreno Institute after Moreno’s death. From 1994 to 2008, he was a training consultant and staff member of Trial Lawyers College, Dubois, Wyoming. Explorations in Mental Health Books in this series: 1 New Law and Ethics in Mental 8 The Philosophy, Theory and Health Advance Directives Methods of J. L. Moreno The Convention on the Rights of The Man Who Tried to Persons with Disabilities and the Become God Right to Choose John Nolte Penelope Weller 2 The Clinician, the Brain, and I Neuroscientifi c Findings and the Subjective Self in Clinical Practice Tony Schneider 3 A Psychological Perspective on Joy and Emotional Fulfi llment Chris M. Meadows 4 Brain Evolution, Language and Psychopathology in Schizophrenia Edited by Paolo Brambilla and Andrea Marini 5 Quantitative and Qualitative Methods in Psychotherapy Research Edited by Wolfgang Lutz and Sarah Knox 6 Trauma-Informed Care How Neuroscience Infl uences Practice Amanda Evans and Downloaded by [New York University] at 01:46 15 August 2016 Patricia Coccoma 7 Learning about Emotions in Illness Integrating Psychotherapeutic Teaching into Medical Education Edited by Peter Shoenberg and Jessica Yakeley The Philosophy, Theory and Methods of J. L. Moreno The Man Who Tried to Become God John Nolte Downloaded by [New York University] at 01:46 15 August 2016 NEW YORK LONDON First published 2014 by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 and by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2014 Taylor & Francis The right of John Nolte to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Nolte, John. The philosophy, theory and methods of J.L. Moreno : the man who tried to become God / by John Nolte. pages cm. — (Explorations in mental health ; 8) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Moreno, J. L. (Jacob Levy), 1889–1974. 2. Psychotherapists— United States. 3. Drama—Therapeutic use. 4. Sociometry. I. Title. RC438.6.M67N66 2014 616.89'1653—dc23 2013050057 ISBN13: 978-0-415-70287-4 (hbk) ISBN13: 978-0-203-79517-0 (ebk) Typeset in Sabon by IBT Global. Downloaded by [New York University] at 01:46 15 August 2016 To: Beth, Cathy, Mike, and Jane who have taught me so much about spontaneity and creativity. Downloaded by [New York University] at 01:46 15 August 2016 This page intentionally left blank Downloaded by [New York University] at 01:46 15 August 2016 Contents List of Figures and Tables ix Acknowledgments xi Introduction 1 PART I The Religious Phase 1 The Man in the Green Cloak 13 2 Young Man of Many Parts 23 3 Role Reversal with God 36 PART II The Philosophy 4 Morenean Philosophy 55 5 The Canon of Creativity 69 Downloaded by [New York University] at 01:46 15 August 2016 6 The Physics of Spontaneity-Creativity 91 PART III The Morenean Methods 7 Group Psychotherapy 109 viii Contents 8 Sociometry, a New Model for Social Science 129 9 Sociometric Theory 155 10 Psychodrama and Sociodrama 179 11 Psychodramatic Theory 208 12 Appraising J. L. Moreno 232 References 247 Index 259 Downloaded by [New York University] at 01:46 15 August 2016 Figures and Tables FIGURES 5.1 J. L. Moreno’s Canon of Creativity. 71 8.1 Construction of a social atom. 139 8.2 Sociogram of Cottage C 16 before reconstruction. 141 8.3 Sociogram of Cottage C 16 after reconstruction. 142 9.1 Social atom of a popular leader. 167 9.2 Social atom of a powerful leader. 168 9.3 Social atom of an isolated leader. 169 TABLES 7.1 Table XI from The First Book on Group Psychotherapy 114 Downloaded by [New York University] at 01:46 15 August 2016 This page intentionally left blank Downloaded by [New York University] at 01:46 15 August 2016 Acknowledgments I felt for a long time a deep obligation to Dr. J. L. and Zerka Moreno for what they had given me, a new way of life and a new way of practicing my profession as a psychologist. I wondered how I could repay them. The money I had spent in training, even though it was a lot for me, seemed insignifi cant compared with the gifts I had received. What could I give to them? I asked myself over and over. The answer was simple when it struck me: I can best express my appreciation by passing along to oth- ers that which I have received. I believe that I have had some success in doing that through the many psychodramas I have directed over 50 years and the many participants I have met in training workshops. This book is acknowledgment of that debt as well as a tribute to both J. L. and Zerka Moreno. The American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama and its president, David Moran, have generously given permission to quote exten- sively from the following books by J. L. Moreno: Words of the Father Psychodrama, First Volume Who Shall Survive? And from the journal, Group Psychotherapy, Psychodrama & Sociometry: The Autobiography of J. L. Moreno, MD Downloaded by [New York University] at 01:46 15 August 2016 Paul Hare’s “Bibliography of Work of J. L. Moreno” (1986) was of sub- stantial assistance in locating Moreno’s articles, books, and edited works. The online Bibliography of Psychodrama (http://www.pdbib.org/), origi- nally compiled and updated by Jim Sacks with contributions by Valerie Greer, Jeanine Gendron, and Marie-Therese Bilaniuk, and now updated by Michael Wieser, was also a great help, especially in fi nding articles not by Moreno. I also made generous use of René Marineau’s 1989 biogra- phy, Jacob Levy Moreno 1889–1974, Paul and June Hare’s J. L. Moreno (1996), and Rosa Cukier’s Words of Jacob Levy Moreno (2007) during xii Acknowledgments the writing of this book. Thanks also to Marcia Hinkley for her helpful comments and for proofreading the text. I owe the greatest debt to my wife and life partner, Nancy Drew. With- out her substantial encouragement, I would never have completed this book. She contributed to my eff orts in many ways. She is a recognized con- tributor to the fi eld of qualitative research and it is because she shared her knowledge of philosophy, especially phenomenology and existentialism, that I came to understand how important Moreno’s existential philosophy was to understanding his work. In addition, Nancy served as an excellent editor, reading draft after draft and repeatedly identifying passages that needed more work. To the extent that this book is readable, much credit goes to her. Nancy also encouraged me, at times prodded me, to keep at it in spite of the fact that writing sometimes interfered with other activities that we both would have preferred to be doing. Downloaded by [New York University] at 01:46 15 August 2016 Introduction Jacob Levy Moreno (1889–1974) was a prodigiously creative individual whose self-assigned life mission was amelioration of the problems of human society. From an early age he was sensitive to injustice and inequality and believed that all people should have an opportunity for the fullest expres- sion of their talents. As a teenage tutor of the children of wealthy Vien- nese bourgeois families, he encouraged his charges to give their toys to poor children who were not as fortunate as they. As a university student, Moreno, along with four chums, established the House of Encounter in Vienna, where they provided both shelter and assistance to poor people from all over the Austro-Hungarian Empire who were trying to emigrate to other countries. As a scientist, he became an inventor of methods through which he hoped to better the plight of marginalized, excluded, and disad- vantaged groups of people as well as treat mental illness.